Preference Policy

The Pauahi Foundation’s policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. The Foundation utilizes the services of Kamehameha Schools Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center (Data Center) to verify Hawaiian ancestry of those applicants who wish to be considered under the Foundation’s preference policy.

This is a separate process and should not be confused with the scholarship application process.

Upon receipt of your completed scholarship application, if you have not previously registered with the Data Center, you will receive a Hawaiian Ancestry Registration (HAR) form which you should complete if you wish to be considered under the Foundation’s preference policy. This process may take up to ten weeks. All questions regarding Hawaiian ancestry registration and verification should be directed to the Data Center.